Monday, February 28, 2011

Streaming Albums: Scale The Summit & Bruce Lamont




You can stream the new albums by Scale The Summit here and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) here.

Romero will Stone you...

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Romero is the trio of Jeffrey Mundt, Joshua Stanchik and Benjamin Brooks, recently signed to Grindcore Karaoke.
They play heavy, fuzzy psychedelic stoner metal, or at least that's what I can gather from the 2 songs available from their 7" release, Solitaire, here for free download.
Not bad, and definitely the kind of music I like (among others obviously).
You can listnen to the same thing here but with an additional track.
More info on their Facebook.

They'll be touring in the USA in March at the following locations:

Mar 11, 2011 - Winona, MN (US) @ CANSWER HAUS 
Mar 12, 2011 - Fargo, ND (US) @ Red Raven Espresso Bar 
Mar 13, 2011 - Rapid City, SD (US) @ Skullets 
Mar 14, 2011 - Great Falls, MT (US) @ 406 Club 
Mar 16, 2011 - Seattle, WA (US) @ The Funhouse 
Mar 17, 2011 - Portland, OR (US) @ Plan B 
Mar 18, 2011 - Portland, OR (US) @ The Know
Mar 19, 2011 - Boise, ID (US) @ The Shredder
Mar 20, 2011 - Salt Lake City, UT (US) @ Bar Deluxe
Mar 21, 2011 - Denver, CO (US) @ Rockaway Tavern 
Mar 23, 2011 - Kansas City, MO (US) @ Harling's Upstairs Bar & Grill
Mar 25, 2011 - Milwaukee, WI (US) @ Ground Zero
Mar 26, 2011 - Green Bay, WI (US) @ The Crunchy Frog

New Wobbler album, Rites At Dawn, available for pre-order

Symphonic "retro" symphonic prog band Wobbler from Norway will release their new album Rites At Dawn through Termo Records (run by Jacob Holm-Lupo and Wobbler/In Lingua Mortua man, Lars F. Frøislie) on May 16th.
It's already available for pre-order through Termo's web-shop here.

Here's an album preview:

Review: Jack Dupon - Démon Hardï (2010, Musea)

I don’t remember how I first heard of Jack Dupon, a French four piece band consisting of Arnaud M'Doihoma (bass, vocals), Gregory Pozzoli (guitars, vocals), Thomas Larsen (drums, percussion, vocals)
 and Philippe Prebet (guitars, vocals).


I bought their 2008 debut album, "L'Echelle Du Désir", but was not too thrilled with it. It has nice ideas and it is theatrical, quirky and eccentric but I felt the songs were too meandering and lacked direction and focus. But I was still interested in seeing what they’ll do on their next album. And so I was happy to be given the opportunity to review it.

Well, I think that more than they have changed from the debut album, that I have changed and now perceive them a little differently. They do seem to be more focused this time around with their songs and even more intricate and creative, but they still maintain the same basic characteristics from the first album, which I’ll mention below.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Favourites of 2010 - #3: The List part 2 (A Musical Threesome)


This is the third and last installment in the 3 part series summarizing 2010 My Year In Music.
This post focuses on the my very top favourite albums released in 2010.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Favourites of 2010 - #2: The List part 1 (From the Yays to the Nays)


This is part 2 of the 3-posts part summary of my 2010 Year In Music.
This post will detail my favourite albums of 2010, with the exception of the top-most favourite ones which will have the 3rd part of this series dedicated to them.


An Year end list.

How corny a notion; but a well intended one in my case.

I’m doing it as much for myself, for chronicling what I heard and liked, as it is for others to perhaps find something they like that they may have missed.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Favourites of 2010 - #1: The Listening Trends


This is post #1 in the 3 post-series concluding my 2010 Year In Music.
This one deals with the listening trends I had in 2010, the genres and styles I was most into, devoting the most time exploring and those I couldn't get enough of.

Like everyone else, I had various pronounced listening interests in 2010.
Here are the most prominent ones:

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Prog Archives' Top Albums of 2010

Progarchives.com Homepage



Go here to see the results of our poll at Prog Archives.

How about CD Giveaways?

Since this bog is getting more and more visitors, I'd like to know if and how many people would be interested in Giveaways

However, though there are many visitors, few, if any, leave any comments, so this is why I'm doing this little survey.

I have several new cd's (and other various cd's I don't want any longer) hanging around here at the "mansion" (prog, metal, rock etc; don't be picky, it's a free cd). It would go similar to how other websites do it: A Giveaway involving you commenting on a certain post and then I'd choose a winner randomly from the commentators. This will be open to people from all over the world, as long as you can receive mail from the US.

Please comment here and say if you'd be interested in this, so I can see if there would be enough response to that. 

Depending on the response to this (if there will be any), I'll decide whether to go on with this or not.

Upcoming - My "2010 In Music Year End Summary"

I've been working on post about the music released in 2010 I listened to.
I hate doing those rankings as I keep having change of hearts and not sure which album I like more.
So what I do is something akin to the 2009 Favourite Albums List I posted a while back (and which seems to be popular given how many hits it has been getting lately). I divide albums into groups, with no internal rankings. Each group represents a sort of tier of how much I like the albums within them. Again, not very accurate and albums can change spots and the albums can shirt tiers later, but it's a good indication of how much I enjoy and like them.

I will post this 2010 In Music Year End Summary in three parts.
The first will focus on listening trends I had in 2010 in terms of genres and/or bands.
The second post will feature all the tiers of albums except the very top one, which will be featured in the third post.

I hope to have these ready by the end of February. I encourage you to comment there and post your own favourites and reactions.


Sunday, February 20, 2011

Review: The Cargo Cult Revival - Snakecharmer (2008)

This four piece instrumental band from CT, USA has released two albums of the heavy brand with several underlying elements such as a spacey and psychedelic atmosphere, stoner-rock elements (listen to the last track on Snakecharmer), fusion segments emphasized by the bewitching cello and an overall encompassing and enveloping sound that takes me away while listening to far away places, surrounded by mountains of crushing riffs and deep evoking rhythms and the alternating uplifting or mesmerizing string instrument playing.



Saturday, February 19, 2011

Review: Breznev Fun Club - L'onda vertebrata: Lost + Found Vol. 1 (2010, AMS Records)


There are releases that I struggle to come up with adequate words that would somehow be worthy of the music. 

Usually after writing these reviews I feel lousy for not being able to match my abstract impressions of the album with the verbal and thought-processing part of my brain which seems to be incapacitated and barely capable of finding the right descriptions and praises. 

So in case it’s not clear from this review, know this – I am very impressed with this album. And I find the music on it to be as lovely as it is captivating. But know this, it takes time and concentration to fully absorb all of it. There, a direct and simple way to praise an album, bypassing all the verbose and loquacious long-winded and pompous reviewing I usually aim for.

But I can’t leave it at that, right. You may very well want to know what this sounds like? And perhaps a bit more on what I think of it, what I hear special in the music?

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Electro-Lounge Series - #2: Bonobo

The second installment in the electronic/downtempo/chillout/trip-hop series focuses on Bonobo, a.k.a, Simon Green.

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Let us find some background information about him together, shall we?

Leader Leader Of The Starry Skies to be released on double vinyl LP

From Genepool Records:


Hello everyone!

Please excuse the intrusion.

We have decided to launch phase two of the Tim Smith tribute album - and the lovely Believers Roast label are pleased to announce that The Leader Of The Starry Skies album is to be made available on vinyl

Double 180gram heavy black vinyl at that!!!
 
As before all profits will be going to the rehabilitation of Tim

If anyone is interested we have put a preorder up at:

(nothing should be read into the 666 number - it is automatically generated :) )

And the record will also be available from all good indie stores on the release date in April!!
 
Please note we have also put shipping prices on that page, international customers please have a look as it is quite pricey to ship this heavy package

Cheers

Pete
 

Tracklisting

1 Savour - William D Drake And His So Called Friends
2 Big Ship - Ultrasound
3 Fear - Oceansize
4 Let Alone My Plastic Doll - Mark Cawthra
5 Day Is Gone - The Trudy
6 Founding - Stars In Battledress
7 Will Bleed Amen (Feat: Sarah Measures) - Max Tundra
8 Shaping The River - Julianne Regan
9 The Stench Of Honey - Knifeworld
10 A Little Man And A House - The Magic Numbers
11 Is This The Life - mikrokosmos
12 March - North Sea Radio Orchestra
13 Lilywhite's Party (Feat: Andy Partridge) - Robert White
14 Wind And Rains Is Cold - Rose Kemp Vs Rarg
15 Up In Annie's Room - Katherine Blake
16 Stoneage Dinosaurs - Steven Wilson
17 Home Of Fadeless Splendour - The Scaramanga Six

A song to begin cleaning the house with...: Faun Fables - Housekeeper

Faun Fables and their song Housekeeper from their album, Light Of A Vaster Dark.

Available at Drag City.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Live Webcast: The Celestial Septet (The Nels Cline Singers and the ROVA Saxophone Quartet)

From New World Records newsletter:

New World Records

Free live webcast with The Celestial Septet

ROVA Saxophone Quartet & Nels Cline Singers - The Celestial Septet











On February 22, Ars Nova Workshop is presenting a concert by the Celestial Septet in Philadelphia, which will be available to non-Philadelphia audiences for free via live webcast. After only four concerts in 2008, this epic ensemble combining the Nels Cline Singers and the ROVA Saxophone Quartet returns for only five US appearances, beginning with this night in Philadelphia. Given the rarity of this celestial union, we've teamed up with a local webcast production crew in order to share the Celestial Septet experience with international audiences.

Ars Nova Workshop is thrilled to present the Celestial Septet, a massive ensemble featuring the Nels Cline Singers and the Rova Saxophone Quartet. After four concerts in 2008 and releasing The Celestial Septet (New World Records 80708-2) in 2010, the ensemble re-emerges for only five performances.

For those outside the Philadelphia area, we are offering a live webcast of this rare concert. Sign up here:
 http://arsnova.webillishus.com/

The story of the Celestial Septet is that of two bands becoming one. On their own, the Nels Cline Singers and the Rova Saxophone Quartet have established themselves as the most forward-looking groups not only in their respective formats -- a trio of guitar, bass, and drums, and a quartet of saxophones ranging from baritone to sopranino -- but also in the area of music that has variously and inadequately been called "free," "avant-garde," "creative," and "improvised." The Septet is a vehicle for time and space travel through dense, narrow thickets and airy, wide expanses of boundary-blurred extrapolations of jazz, rock, late-20th-century European modernism and American minimalism, and 21st-century postmodern fusions. The trip is challenging, but the open-minded listener/traveler cannot help but come through the experience with new perspectives on sound and music. Perhaps most significantly, separately and conjoined, these units defy categorization by taking composition as seriously as they take improvisation, and by taking neither so seriously as to let one get in the way of the other. 


Of related interest:
80708
ROVA Saxophone Quartet & Nels Cline Singers - The Celestial Septet
80708b
An Interview with Larry Ochs (Free Download)
80574
Jon Raskin Quartet - The Bass & The Bird Pond
80553
Quintet for A Day - What We Live

Review: October Equus - Charybdis (2008, R.A.I.G)

http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/2599/cover_183162292008.jpg

October Equus are battling a sea monster

The third album by October Equus, released in 2008 is named after Charybdis, daughter of Gaia and Poseidon that was turned into a sea monster by Zeus. If one looks at the title of the tracks on the album, he’ll notice that mythological and nautical themes are at use here. This album was released through the RAIG label, who has been delivering intriguing and captivating experimental and avant-rock albums in the last years. It is therefore very fitting that Spanish band October Equus release their album through this label as this is a spectacular example of boundary breaking rock.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Recommendation: Poutatorvi (progressive/jazz/rock, Finland)

Can you have a crush on a country?
Can you have a crush on a country you've never been to (but desperately want to visit - and perhaps settle there)?
Not only does the weather there make me want to move there (yes, I love cold dark wintry seasons and hate sunny, hot, steamy places like that place I shall not mention I grew up in - yuck), the music I listen to by Finnish band is fantastic and varied. I've recently reviewed Utopianisti's debut album and here's another stellar nugget in the form of Poutatorvi and their s/t album, available on, where else, Bandcamp.
An eclectic progressive outfit, playing upbeat, cheerful jazzy, poppy music.  

Sad thing is, my wife went to Finland several years back to visit her friend who was working there for a year and I foolishly declined to offer to accompany her. Idiot.
Anyway, enjoy this fine band.

Monday, February 14, 2011

A Tune to Discover the Moon With...: Clint Mansell - Moon OST / Welcome to Lunar Industries (Three Year Stretch....)

What's your favourite Clint Mansell Composition/Soundtrack?

Upon seeing the movie Moon, I found myself much more impressed with the music than the movie. Indeed, I thought that had the movie not been graced by Mr. Mansell's music, it would have suffered greatly. The music is as simple and often minimalistic as is the movie, and combined, the effect is synergistic. (I am not knocking down the movie or saying it's bad, by the way; in fact I have an urge to watch it again).

Here's the closing piece from the album, with the main theme. I was unable to stop listening to this for about 2 weeks after watching the movie. These days, I have a sudden need every now and then to listen to it. It has an addictive characteristic, much like a lot of Mr. Mansell's music.

Goodies from Black Widow Records + new Rock-A-Rolla issue

I've received several promotional copies for review from Massimo, the director of the fine Italian prog-rock label, Black Widow.
 
You can see more after the Jump

Streaming album: The Psychic Paramount - II

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NPR is streaming the new The Psychic Paramount album, II here until the release date on February 22nd on No Quarter Records.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Review: Long Distance Calling - Long Distance Calling (2011, Superball Music)


The third Long Distance Calling album is self-titled. 
Now why is that so?

I could think of many examples where bands do this on their first album.

But the third?

There has to be some special meaning to it then.
Perhaps they’re trying to say something… 
Is the band feeling estranged from its listeners and trying to reach out to us with this record by using this title? Or could it be that communications have deteriorated such that only a Long Distance Call is taken seriously?


However you want to interpret it, Long Distance Calling provides another almost entirely instrumental heavy and spacey rock album. One that they say is song and theme oriented, despite the lack of lyrics for the most part although there is a “proper” song on here, Middleville, featuring John Bush on vocals.

Recommendation: Andrew Douglas Rothbard (psychedelic)

http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_band/4690.jpg

Late at night or when I have a craving for something quirky, I reach out to the two albums by Andrew Douglas Rothbard.
Mr. Rothbard's music sounds is best experienced with closed eyes in low lights or complete darkness. If it won't freak you out, it will give you out-of-body experiences.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Review: Beardfish - Mammoth (2011, InsideOut)

As promised, here is the review of the new Beardfish album, Mammoth. Thanks to Freeman Promotions for the advanced digital copy.


I’ll start by saying that if you’re a fan of Beardfish, stop reading now and just go get this album.

Unless you want to read something about how they are advancing in their musical path, how they have progressed and changed somewhat in their writing, but still sounding like a bearded fish. 

While the music is quite accessible, I needed several listens until the album reached me on a more emotional and personal level. This is a personal issue obviously and will vary from individual to another. However, once I “got” into it, I could enjoy the music so much more. But my point is that even prior to that emotional contact, I could very well acknowledge that this is a well done album, with clear and solid musical themes and fine execution.

Review: Tribal Logic - Freaky Karma (2008, R.A.I.G)

After the likes of Sendelica, Gdeva and Motherfathers here is another release of a like-minded band, though much more versatile and varied in style.

Tribal Logic, a four-piece band from Chelyabinsk, delivers a fascinating instrumental journey into their musical mind; it goes through different styles and sections, various sounds and moods, shows good musicianship, a cohesive form and an ability to perform well whatever it is that they choose to play.

Recommendation: Might Could (USA, acoustic guitar music)

http://mightcould.nfshost.com/mc%20Files/MCpromo.jpg

Might Could is an acoustic rock band consisting of 4 members:
Andy Tillotson (guitar) and Tim McCaskey (guitar) who comprise the original Might Could duo and Aaron Geller (guitar) and Luis Nasser (bass).
Having seen the lineup, you'd be tempted to think: "What can they possibly achieve with three guitars and bass?". To that I answer: "You'd be surprised. Very surprised."

In fact, why don't you listen to some sounds of theirs here and here before going on.

http://mightcould.nfshost.com/mc%20Files/tree.jpg

So, now that you've heard a few sounds of theirs, you might could get an idea of how complex, melodic and hooking their music can be and of the range of influences it encompasses.
You can read more about the background of the group here.

I only have their Would Knot album, and I can only highly recommend this magnificent piece of instrumental acoustic compositions, with lovely harmonies, intricate writing and executions, beautiful melodies, emotional impact and charming vibes.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Recommendation: Jorane - Vers à soi (2007)

http://www.postedecoute.ca/catalogue/cover/xlarge/277950.jpg 

Jorane (Johanne Pelletier) is a Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (cello, guitar, piano, bass) who I found out about last year when I got her 2007 album, Vers à Soi. She recently released her new album, Une Sorcière Comme les Autres.

Vers à Soi is a beautiful album sung in French (she mixes between English and French on her other albums), with gorgeous melodies and lyrics dealing with, among other things, relationship, love, hardship in life etc. There isn't a weak song on here and my favourite is Lumière with mesmerizing cello playing (though I have hard time understanding her articulation in that particular song).
It's best that you listen to her music, rather than me describing it further and giving tags to it. I'll definitely be exploring her other albums as well.

I think you can stream her new album on her website here.

Here are two songs from the album:

Sauve Moi - Jorane from Fred Caron on Vimeo.

Recommendation: Metroid Metal (prog-metal)

Oh, come on, admit you've missed those...

Ok, so you know the routine, Bandcamp... exploring... found this band... pretty good... blah blah blah...

What we've got here is instrumental progressive metal by this Metroid Metal group who released Varia Suite which "contains a collection of Metroid Metal tunes re-recorded and "redone a bit" by the members of Metroid Metal Live. The 14 tracks feature fresh production and clock in at over 50 minutes in length. Varia Suite marks the first official album by Metroid Metal and is released under Silent Uproar Records."

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Recent Purchases and Upcoming Reviews (February 10th, 2011)

Here are two promotional cd's I'll be reviewing soon:

Breznev Fun Club - L'Onda Vertebrata: Lost + Found Vol. 1 
Mr. Rocco Lomonaco sent me this, a wonderful collection of his neoclassical/avant-prog composition from various time points in his career.


Jack Dupon - Démon Hardï
French band playing a humorous, theatrical and jammy kind of avant rock.

More albums to be reviewed on the line:
Beardfish - Mamoth
Long Distance Calling - s/t


Here are three albums I got today from my recent order from Laser's Edge:

Pandora - Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno


 Korekyojin - Tundra
 The latest release from this Japanese avant-rock/fusion group featuring Yoshida Tatsuya.


Magic Pie - The Suffering Joy
These Norwegians know how to make great music but their lyrics give me diabetes... So much kitsch and silly lyrics about the meaning of life and love... It was prevalent in their previous two albums and it's even in higher doses here. Good thing their music is great.

Altr0ck's February Releases Announced

http://production.altrock.it/public/altrock/88/4%20nuovi%20dischi%20febb%202011.jpg

From the Altr0ck newsletter:

4 new releases for AltrOck /Fading available February 25th:


- AltrOck productions:

Humble Grumble "Flanders Fields"

Calomito  "Cane di Schiena"

Factor Burzaco “II”

- Fading records:

Sanhedrin “Ever After

AltrOck/Fading

Review: Dark Suns - Grave Human Genuine (2008, Prophecy Productions)

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This is a review I wrote almost three years ago. I'm posting it even though it's not a very good review, but this album deserves the attention.

This is genuinely Grave, man. If I were to look at the album as a whole, a grave and grim picture is what I would paint. Heavy and dark, this album has more to it than

The name of the album is a bit weird, but as the press release says, it symbolizes the three characteristics of this recording. The most prominent of these that comes up when listening is, as I said above, Grave.
The riffs, the drumming, the overall atmosphere is that of seriousness and indeed that of gravity. However there is a counter response to that grim and cumbersome feel in the form of the flute and delicate vocals, both reminding me of Deadsoul Tribe and Devon Graves (pun?).

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Recommendation: The Rise and The Fall of The Pterodactyl (New Zealand)

http://bandcamp.com/files/16/24/1624756436-1.jpg

Yes, yes, I know, it's getting tedious, isn't it? Yet another band Assaf found on Bandcamp, gave several listens on their streaming page and now wants to tell others about it...

Well, if you feel like it about the matter, what are you doing reading this, then :-) ?

So the band in question is The Rise and The Fall of The Pterodactyl from New Zealand, who play an interesting form of rock, with psychedelic and hard-rock influences, and occasionally some retro vibes and even some Zappa-esque references.

You can download their album for free from their Bandcamp.

Like Old-School Heavy Metal Or Hard Rock? Here's A Place For You... Heavy Artillery Records

In my ever going Bandcamp explorations, I've stumbled upon this label, Heavy Artillery Records that seems intent on reviving old-school metal.

I've listened to several of the bands on their roster (Vulture, Vindicator, Vektor, Spellcaster) and while it's not really my thing, they have some decent bands on there and I'm sure 80s heavy metal aficionados will revel in some of the bands there.

Actually, the only one I really liked was Vektor, which is a thrash/heavy-metal band, and does a good job at that.

Bandcamp
Website
Youtube Channel

There are a few Bandcamps links I liked most from their roster, after the jump

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Recommendation: Filteria (Greece/Sweden; psy-trance)

http://img1.nnm.ru/b/0/0/d/8/b00d8aa2c425407f513a928ebf72ec8b_full.jpg

Despite not having written on it this much here, I love good psy-trance music.

As I was coming back to this type of music more and more in 2009-2010, I started paying more attention to Greek artist Jannis Tzikas, aka Filteria, who works in Stockholm, Sweden nowadays.
He has released 3 albums on the Goa/Psy-Trance label, Suntrip Records:
Sky Input (2004)
Heliopolis (2006)
Daze of Our Lives (2009)

Monday, February 7, 2011

Review: Actual Music Quartet RSM - S/T (2007)

http://www.thesirenssound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/actual-music-quartet-rsm-actual-music-quartet-rsm.jpg

The many faces of Actual Music Quartet

At first it would seem that this is a group with several faces. On one side in tracks like the 1st "Tram Song", 5th track "Clock 77:77" and 7th track "Face 2 Face", the style is that of post-rock, quite mellow (at times almost ambient), with caressing guitars and keyboards in the background. This side shows a more varied than usual aspect of post-rock, a more vivid and rich sounding.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Review: Utopianisti - s/t (2011, Lusti Music)

http://bandcamp.com/files/50/00/500054492-1.jpg

Finland is a cold place. It’s also dark for a lengthy period of time. In fact, that’s exactly the kind of place I’d like to live in! With a depressive atmosphere and gloomy music being played by the local bands and musicians.
But then you have folks like Markus Pajakkala, who come and ruin the whole thing for you… They play this upbeat and energetic music that makes you want to move your head and feet, music that you can’t help but have your senses shaken and your spirit lifted upon listening to it. Damn it, I’m trying to be depressed here! Those young kids and their damned upbeat and excellent music!

Ok, Let me start again.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Recommendation: Lute (UK, prog metal/rock)

http://images.plixid.com/pic_b/c42eadaf4ce1159497da2f753d7e3aab.jpg

Here's a very interesting group I found on Bandcamp - Lute.

They have this raw sound yet there is ambition in their writing. While it sounds at times like simplistic metal with a crude guitar tone (not a bad thing in itself), I was taken by their songs' accessibility yet intricacy at the same time. Listen to the two ending songs in particular to hear an epic writing approach, which at times reminded me of the one-song album Exist by Thesyre.
Give them a listen in their Bandcamp.

Friday, February 4, 2011

More goodies by the Beardfish

Continuing the previous post, here are two songs from the upcoming Bearfish album, Mammoth:






Here's an interview with Rikard Sjöblom:

A song to go hunting with...: Beardfish - The Hunter

http://media1.haulix.com/5174/PromoImage.jpg

Beardfish will release their sixth album, Mammoth, on March 8th, through InsideOut.
I'll be reviewing that album here (and on Prog Archives and Progressive Ears) so stay tuned.

For now, here's a song I like a lot from their album, Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two.

News: New Gösta Berlings Saga album, Glue Works, out in May on Cuneiform

traycard_inner_cd3


From the band's website:

"We are thrilled to announce that our next album Glue Works will be released in May on the legendary American label Cuneiform records, just in good time before our US debut at NEARFest. The list of previous Cuneiform releases is too extensive to show here but let us tell you that we will definitely be in good company with other bands/artists such as Univers Zero, Richard Pinhas & Robert Wyatt just to name a few.
A big push forward for the band and indeed something to live up to. 2011!"

Here is the track list for the new album:

1. 354 (06:00)
2. Icosahedron (3:13)
3. Island (12:26)
4. Gliese 581g (6:16)
5. Waves (2:45)
6. Geosignal (2:09)
7. Sorterargatan 1 (12:45)

Total running time: 45:34

Recommendation: Igayon (Prog rock, Israel)

http://bandcamp.com/files/35/74/3574174072-1.jpg

Continuing what I started yesterday with Behind the Sun, here's another Israeli band called Igayon, who released in late 2010 their first full-length.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Recommendation: Carla Kihlstedt & Matthias Bossi - Still You Lay Dreaming: Tales for the Stage, II (2011)

http://bandcamp.com/files/14/33/1433455446-1.jpg

A new release from the duo of Kihlstedt & Bossi, the sequel to 2008's Ravish and Other Tales for the Stage.
Available digitally through their Bandcamp:

Recommendation: Behind The Sun (Prog-rock, Israel)

As you've noticed, I like to scroll through Bandcamps and I've come across a few Israeli bandcamps, the first of which I'd like to share in this post.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Review: Lebowski - Cinematic (2010)

http://ratex.cp5.win.pl/lebowski/cinematic_cover_399px.jpg

Lebowski - Cinematic


Lebowski (Poland):
marcin grzegorczyk - guitars
marcin łuczaj - synthesizers
marek żak - bass
krzysztof pakuła - drums



Going to the movies, in an album

Apparently, this album was made by film lovers. It is dedicated to 5 Polish cinematographers (whom I don’t know, so I can’t help you there). It’s called Cinematic and is being presented as a soundtrack to a non-existent movie. I can easily hear it.